We’re against online lottery, it’ll render us jobless – Traditional lotto operators

The Concerned Lotto Agents Association of Ghana (CLAAG) has expressed its dissatisfaction with the online lottery system which is run by lotto marketing company KGL Technology Limited.

KGL which operates the *959# has reached an agreement with the National Lottery Authority for strategic partnership.

Addressing the press on Wednesday, Executive Secretary of CLAAG, Kwaku Duah Tawiah said over two million private lotto operators will be jobless with the introduction of the online lottery, managed by KGL Technology, under the National Lottery Authority (NLA).

"The introduction of the KGL online lottery under auspices of the regulatory body NLA is to sabotage the indigenous private lotto companies which have employed many Ghanaians especially the youth".

"This online lottery will stop people from walking to lotto kiosks to stake their lotto the traditional way we know since time immemorial. The private lottery operators have given employment to over five million Ghanaians so why do they take such action in which results will not benefit the lotto operators.

Taking actions like this will even increase the insecurity in the country," he added.

He also raised concerns about the need for government to call the acting director-general of the National Lottery Authority to order.

“It would be in the interest of government to call Mr Ernest Mote, the acting director-general of NLA to order so that the negative tendencies being exhibited by him could be stopped immediately”.

Mr Tawiah further called on the National Lottery Authority to reveal reasons for seizing operation licenses of some genuine lotto operators.

“ We are aware that the NLA is talking about non-compliance by Alpha Lotto Limited, What exactly they have done, they are yet to tell us. We are asking NLA what regulatory measures or mechanism put in place that Alpha Lotto Limited has not complied with, they should bring it to the public domain for all of us to see”.

He also advised private lotto operators to remain calm as his outfit engages stakeholders to come to an amicable end.